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The Cyber Crime Police arrested a man in Visakhapatnam for allegedly cheating the founder of a private school in George Town, Chennai, of ₹38 lakh through impersonation.
According to the police, unidentified persons used the school founder’s photograph as their WhatsApp display picture and impersonated him. They sent a message to the school’s accounts manager from a mobile number, posing as the founder, and instructed him to transfer ₹38 lakh to a bank account.
Believing the message to be genuine, the accounts manager transferred ₹38 lakh online from the school founder’s bank account to a bank account in Visakhapatnam.
After realising he had been cheated, a complaint was lodged with the police. The investigation revealed the money was credited to a newly opened current account in Visakhapatnam in the name of Sri Sai Ganapathi Logistics and was immediately transferred to other bank accounts.
Police identified the account holder as Pentha Gowri Shankar, 45, of Madhurawada, Visakhapatnam. Investigators found he had allegedly maintained a fake ‘mule’ bank account and received money from fraud victims in return for a commission.
The police team camped in Visakhapatnam and arrested Gowri Shankar on October 2. Mobile phones, SIM cards and a bank cheque book were seized from him.
Published – October 09, 2026 12:10 am IST
